The Seed
At the Service of Life and Love
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 1/19/23
For many Americans the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v Casey was welcomed with joy and relief. We feel that a “people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” and upon this land that had been so gloom-ridden by ... Read More »
Spiritually Preparing for Change
Posted by Erin Elking on 1/13/23
Spiritually Preparing for Change – Whenever we are about to undergo a transition or some kind of change, we take time tomake the necessary preparations. When moving to a new home, we take inventory and maybe declutter; when taking on anew job, we might update our wardrobe or spend ... Read More »
A Light of Revelation to the Nations
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 1/05/23
The feast of the Epiphany ends our Christmas season this year, and on this day the Church commemorates not just one event in Jesus’ infancy, but three: The adoration of the magi from the East; the Baptism of the Lord in the river Jordan; and the Wedding Feast ... Read More »
Let Mary Be Your Mother
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 1/03/23
Today, as at the beginning of every calendar year, the Church gives glory to God in honor of His Blessed Mother for her role in the salvation of the world. Mary is truly the Mother of God: Jesus is fully the Son of God and the Son of ... Read More »
Merry Christmas!
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 12/22/22
In the Sacred Liturgy of the Nativity of Our Lord, there is a special set of readings for each Mass at Christmas: we hear about Jesus’ sacred and royal genealogy from Matthew at the Vigil Mass; in the night we reflect on Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and the ... Read More »
God is with Us
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 12/14/22
This weekend, the Gospel draws our attention to St. Joseph and his miraculous dream. In that dream, the angel confirmed the miraculous and divine nature of Mary’s pregnancy, referencing the prophecy of Isaiah: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, ... Read More »
The Lord is My Joy
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 12/07/22
On this Gaudete (Latin: “Rejoice!”) Sunday, the tone of our prayer at Mass is cued by the entrance antiphon: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! Indeed, the Lord is near” (Phil. 4:4-5). As we draw closer to the Christmas mysteries, we pray “to attain the ... Read More »
Make Straight His Paths
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 11/30/22
St. John the Baptist features prominently during the Advent season because He is the final precursor leading up to the advent of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is the greatest of all who were ever born of woman (cf. Mt. 11:11), and the only prophet who was blessed ... Read More »
Christ is Coming
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 11/23/22
Advent is a time for preparations. For many of us those preparations have much to do with parties and packages and greetings cards and cookies. All of these things are good and they are a concrete expression of our love and gratitude for one another; this season has ... Read More »
We Have a King
Posted by St. Henry Parish on 11/18/22
Americans have a complicated relationship with monarchy. On one hand, our nation rejected a king at its founding; on the other hand, royalty and the trappings of monarchy constantly capture our cultural imagination, whether it be a royal wedding or the funeral of a long-reigning monarch. But this Sunday, ... Read More »